Thursday, July 26, 2012

Fisk University Report

Jubilee Hall

Fisk University, a historically
black college located in Nashville, TN, minutes from downtown, as well as
Vanderbilt University, is the most friendly and welcoming of the Southern
universities I visited this summer. Madeline Kronenberg and I were only on
campus for mere minutes before we had engaging conversations with a member of
the university’s staff and two of their students, both of whom were struck with
awe at the idea that we would want to bring California students to Tennessee,
as the Golden State is a dream destination of their own. It was through these
students that we were introduced to Anthony Jones, Fisk’s director of
recruitment and admission. Before arriving at campus, we had heard word of
Fisk’s struggles and seemingly unavoidable demise. Reports of their impending
doom have been greatly exaggerated. Fisk University, while admittedly facing some bureaucratic adversity, is continuing to serve their students at a level
unmatched by many of their peers.

Fisk is considered one of the
five Black Ivy League schools, which also include Howard, Spelman, Xavier, and
Morehouse. Fisk by no means is a black-only institution. The school does
include white and Latino students and is dedicated to expanding the diversity
of their student body in coming years, an effort already well underway.

The school is well noted for its
work in the sciences, especially in medicine. Fisk has arrangements with both
Vanderbilt and Meharry Medical College that allow for combined and accelerated
degrees in medicine and health. Fisk also has strong pre-law and
pre-engineering programs. Need evidence of Fisk’s value? For the past ten
years, Money Magazine has included Fisk
on its “100 Best College Buys”list. Fisk is ranked 1st
of moderately selective colleges when it comes to graduating
low-income students. According to Anthony Jones, more than half of Fisk
graduates go on to graduate school. This is source of great pride for the
university, as they foremost consider themselves a preparation school for
advanced degrees. In a day and age when schools seem to be focused on plugging
out career-oriented labor, I find this to be both impressive and refreshing.

Aaron Douglas Mural

A highlight of the Fisk visit was
visiting Jubilee Hall, the South's (and perhaps this country’s) first permanent
structure built for the education of black students. The building includes a
massive central staircase reserved solely for graduates of the university who
have reached their golden anniversary, 50 years, of their graduation. The
campus is rich in African American history, with the world famous Jubilee
Singers, W. E. B. Du
Bois, Nikki Giovanni, and Hazel O’Leary all calling Fisk home at one
time. The school is also noted for their museum of art, which holds works by
Georgia O’Keefe, Aaron Douglas, Pablo Picasso, and Alfred Stieglitz.

In addition to learning about
college life at Fisk, Madeline Kronenberg and I discovered the school’s hidden
jewel, a six-week summer program designed for high school students to gain
exposure to higher education. We had a very productive conversation with
Anthony Jones and Jason Meriwether, Vice President of Student Engagement and
Enrollment Management, about creating a connection between WCCUSD and Fisk, one
that I hope to see come to fruition next summer.

Students looking for a
personalized education at an elite school should look at Fisk. Students
invested in African American history and joining a supportive network of
learners and educators should also consider Fisk as a viable college option.

About Us

The goal of The Ivy League Connection is to expand the college going culture in the West Contra Costa Unified School District by providing the students of the WCCUSD with the opportunity to participate in summer enrichment programs hosted by highly selective universities.

This effort emphasizes students’ readiness and highlights that teachers have and will continue to produce outstanding students ready to participate in the rigorous programs offered each summer by the Ivy League.

Upon their return from these programs, our students are encouraged to become campus leaders and promote increased awareness of academic opportunities. By becoming campus leaders, they will also instill the value of giving service and encourage the local community to become stronger partners with our schools.

The Ivy League Connection is all about giving back.

The WCCUSD is a diverse, urban school district which has managed to survive through incredible financial adversity (including bankruptcy) for the past two decades. Despite a myriad of obstacles, students have persevered and been resilient in staying focused and not making excuses relating to student achievement. Nonetheless, a great majority of students have not had exposure to the thousands of colleges that exist. The Ivy League Connection is a metaphor for establishing that connection and opening gateways to ensure that more students are conscious about becoming part of a college-going culture.

This endeavor creates an institution with an innovative approach and provides a model for school board members to utilize regarding how to deploy District resources to underwrite student participation in summer enrichment and leadership programs on college campuses. The goal is to significantly boost scholarship in our District by introducing the concept and awareness that outstanding students of talent and high potential will benefit from participating in stimulating summer enrichment programs and that others will also profit when they share their experiences with them upon their return.